Coilable measuring rule



June 18, 1935. A, VQLZ 2,005,668

QOILABLE MEASURING RULE Filed Feb. 8, 1953 fiderick A.

Patented June 18, 1935 ,2,005,66s' v COILABLEMEASURING RULE Frederick A. Volz, Britain, Conn, assigno'r j corporation of Connecticut The Stanley Works," New Britain, Conn, a

'AmicaifimiFebmary 8, 3, Serial No. 655,685

4 claims. (01. 33 -138) The present invention relates to coilable meassuringdevices of the type having a casing and'a measuring tape adapted to be wound therein, and

'has 'particular reference tomeans for readily 16 detaching and attaching the tape tothe instrumentality forwinding or coiling the tape into the casing. The improvements of'the present invention are especially applicable to thattype of measuring device in which the'measuring tape 110 is in the form of a strip of metal having a concave-convex form so that when extended it willautomatically assume a rectilinear shape or straight rod-like form, and the winding instrumentality for said'tape may be in'the form, ofa 15 resilient strip which approximately balances the resistance of friction andthe tendency of the measuring tape to resistbending; I It is an object of thepresentlinvention to provide in a deviceof this kind an improved readily a detachable connection between the measuring .member and the winding member therefor," In accordance with" the present illustrated disclo- ,sure,,alinedknuckles are carried by said'members', andone of 'saidmembers supports a pin 25 adapted to be longitudinally moved into a connecting position in which it is received by all of said knuckles and to an anchoring position in which itis free of i the knuckle on one'of. said m embers. i

:80 .The invention also has for an object to provide -an-,improved1device of this character in which one. of the elements of the'detachable connection between the resilient strip and the measuring tape also acts-as an anchor for preventing the '86 loss of the resilient strip within the holder, and

-m eans arealso provided for positively holding this anchoring element'in its anchoring position andalso in its connecting position.

' Another object of the present invention is to 40 provide an vimproved device of this character :which comprises relatively few parts, is of simple construction, is .cheap to manufacture, and is rapid and sure in operation.

Other objects willbe in part obvious, and in .45 part pointed out more in detail. hereinafter.

The invention accordingly, consists in the features oi construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth 50 and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims. In the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown, for illustrative purposes, one embodiment which the present invention may take,

55 3 Fig.1 is a side view of a measuring device conmy improved connecting means between the strip B andtape C. The holder A may be of-the usual 'ing in the usual manner.

I l5 -is secured to the inner. end of the measuring joined together.

- :ti' structed in accordance with the present invention; Figx2 is a top plan view of the same;.r' Fig.3 is a bottom plan view of'the connecting means between .the outer end of the resilient strip and the inner end of the measuring tape{ Fig. 4 is an edge view of the casing showingone part of the detachable connection in position for preventing the loss of the resilient stripw'ithin the holder; 1 Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken. on the fines-.4

ofFig.2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View takenon'the line 6-6 I ofFig..4;'and

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of my improved ds connecting meansin disconn'ected relation. 7

Referring more particularly to the drawing; A

generally 'indicates a casing or holder, B a winding or tensioning means for winding a, measuring tape C into the holder, and D generally indicates construction employed in' a device of this charac-,

'terand' is provided with-an'entrance opening or slot It in one peripheralwallthereof; The-ten- 25 sioning means B may be in the-form of a resilient strip of metal and may be of the type such asto approximately balance the resistance of friction and the tendency of the measuring tapeto resist bending, or it may have sufficient tension to overcome the resistance of friction and the resistance of the measuring tape to bend. In the present disclosure, the tensioning means B may be of the former type and may be secured within the cas- 35 The measuring tape C may be formed from a strip of metal having a concavo-convex form so that when extended it will automatically assume a rectilinear shape or straight rod-like form. The resilient strip B and measuring tape C may be detachably joined together by means of the connection D which comprises a clip I l folded over upon itself andbetwe'en the folds ofwhich is interposed the outer end of the resilient strip B. The clip H may be secured to theresilient strip 3 in any suitable manner and is provided with a pair of spaced apartknuckles l2 and l3 between which extends'a raised bridge, l4. A clip tape C in any suitable mannenand isprovided with a knuckle is adapted to be received by the space between the knuckles l2 and I3 of theclip I l and disposed in alinement therewith when the resilient strip -B and the measuring tape C are is provided with a rounded surface H which pro-' vides a good bearing surface for the knuckles to pivot upon. The shank of the pin is'also provided .with a flat l9 adjacent its head l8 whereby a shoulder 20 is provided which cooperates with,

an abutment 2| provided at the outer end of the knuckle I3 of the clip I I. With this" arrangement, it is apparent that the movement of the pin H, in the knuckles l2, l3 and I5 'is limited in both directions. I r

For the purpose of holding the pin ll in either of its extreme positions, aspring 22 is provided.

This spring 22 may be formed integral with the outer end of the, resilient stripB, being 'of such -a width that it 'is capable fofbeing received by the space between the knuckles l2 and I3. when the strip 3 and the 'measuringtape C are con- "nected together, the spring 22 is confine'd lbe- 'tween the bridge H and the. knuckle l6 ofthe clip i5 and resiliently urges the :knuckle 16 into frictional engagement with the shank "of the pin H which is in tum urged'into 'frictional engageimen't'with the knuckles "I 2 and l3'so that the pin I1 is frictionally held against longitudinal movement inthe knuckles 12, I3 and "I 6 and yet the knuckles may pivot on the shank of the pin.

When :the pin H has been withdrawnito its anchoring position, as shown in FigsIA, 6 :and Hand whereinthe pin is-clear-of'the knuckles l2and l6, and the knuckle l6 of the clip i5 is withdrawn fromzthe space between theknuckles l2 and of the clip H, the spring 22 will occupy the space between the knuckles 12 and i3 and will be disposed in the path of longitudinal movement of the pin I! so that the latter will be prevented'from being accidentally-moved inwardly ,out :of anchoring position. i

ll of; theknuckle I 3.

In the use of thedevice, the measuring tape C andthe strip B may be withdrawn. from the holder A to a position in which access may be had to the connection D. The head l8 of the pin I! may be then engaged by a thumb orfinger of theme! of the device and drawn-outwardly until the pin is moved clear of the knuckles v1 2 and 16. Further outward movement of the pin H will be prevented by the engaging of the shoulder 20 of the pin li against the abutment The measuring tape 0 may now be disconnected from the resilient strip -B by removing the knuckle I6 from between the When this is. done, the spring 22 will move :to a position in which it occupies the space between the knuckles i2 and M and will be disposed in the path 'of 1ongi- .tudinal movement of the pin I-l so that the pin i1 may not he accidentally pushed inwardly out .of anchoring position. As may be seen from the dotted line position in Fig. 4, the pin H will engage the adjacent side of the casing A at one side-of the opening I0 so that the resilient'stripB ,will be prevented from becoming lost by being drawn into the casing A.

When it is desired to connectthe measuring tape C with the resilient strip B, the knuckle l6 of the clip I5 is inserted between :the knuckles t2 and I3 of the clip H against the force of the spring .22. When the knuckle 16 has been lined up with theknuckles l2 and 13, the pin 11 may then be pushed inwardly so as to-pass through connecting-position.-

in-a limiting sense.

-means for maintaining :saidpin within said knuckle l6 into frictional engagement with the 5 pin H, as described above, so that the pin I! will be frictionally held against longitudinal movementand the meaSuringtape ,C will be securely and 'yet detachably connected wane resilient strip 13. It will be observed that areadily de- 10 .taichable connection is provided between the resilient strip Band the measuring tape C in which oneo'f the elements of the connection is positively held in its anchored position and in its 15 .Asmany changesicould be made in the above construction and many apparently widely differ ".entembodiments'ofthis invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown {in the accombanyingdraw- :ing shall be interpreted asillustrative It is also tobe understood hat thetlanguage used in the following. claims is intendedfito-rcover 225 all of the generic and specific 'features ot' 'the'in- 'vention herein :described and all statements'iof the scope of theinvention which, asra matter-"of language, might :bersaid to fall @therebetween. I'claim as my invention: p

' I. ;In combination, a holder, a measuring tape adapted to becoiled thereinandhavingmknuckie .on one end thereof, 'a resilient :strip within 'said holder for coiling said'tape and having a .pairof spaced apart knuckles onits =ireeend, the knuckle I5 on said tape beingradapted -to:be received-by'the space between said knuckles on said strip, atpin passing through said knuckles, and resilient knuckles; I a

2. In :combination, a holder, a' ineasurin'g tape adapted to be coiled therein and having akn'uckle on one end thereof,':a resilientxstripkwithin said holder for coiling :said tape andhaving a'pair'of spaced apart knuckles'onfits free-end, theknuckle '16 on said tape being adapted toj'be received by the :space between said knuckles on said -stri p, a 'pin. passing through said knuckles, and a: spring for maintaining said pin within said knuckles, said pin being :adapted to be longitudinally moved n clear of one of said {knuckles on said strip and said knuckle on said tape whereupon said spring automatically takes up a position in the path'of longitudinal movement of said pin. 3. Inicombination, a holder, a measuring tape adapted to be coiled therein, a resilient'strip within said holder for coiling said tape, knuckles carried by said tape and st'rip, and a pin supported by said strip and adapted to be moved longitudi- I nally to a position in which it is receivedbyjsaid '0!) knuckles when the latter are in registry, and adapted to'be moved longitudinally to a position in which it is withdrawn from the knuckle on said tape, said pin when in the latterposition cooperating with said holder to prevent the loss of said strip into said holder. I v

4. In combination, a holder, a measuring tape adapted to be coiled therein, .9. resilient...strip within said holder forcoiling said tape, apair-of in a pin carried by said strip and adapted to have longitudinal movement into, and out of, said knuckles, said pin having a rounded shank portion upon which said knuckles may pivot, said pin also having a head adapted to engage one of the knuckles on said strip to limit the longitudinal movement of said pin in one direction, said pin having a shoulder adapted to engage said abutment to limit the longitudinal movement of said pin in the opposite direction.

FREDERICK A. VOLZ. 

